OceanERA contribution: € 560k
Partners: 4
Schedule starting date: 1 April 2016
Duration: 24 months
Project website: http://w3.ualg.pt/~ampacheco/Wattage/index.html

The general objective of WATTAGE project is to examine a scale floating tethered tidal current turbine, EVOPOD E35, looking at both the impacts of the turbine on its environment and the effects of the wave-flow conditions on the extraction efficiency. The project intends to:

(1) demonstrate the viability for community scale projects along with design verification for up-scaling to megawatt sized devices for multiple deployments;

(2) drive down the uncertainty of this renewable energy by improving the state of research on the potential impacts of operating tidal energy arrays.

It embodies an extensive pre and post installation environmental monitoring program coupled with numerical modelling tools in order to better add to the body of environmental impact knowledge and de-risk future projects. Cost-benefit analysis will be determined for different scenarios considering local/regional energy demands, the supply network and the site specificities.

Goals and expected results

The project objectives are to demonstrate viability for community scale projects along with design verification for up-scaling to megawatt sized devices for multiple deployments, including harsh environments. The proposal is designed to deliver real data and concrete results in relation to the test site, the environment, economic benefits and tidal energy extraction technology:

Environmental